1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication systems, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for maintaining synchronization of multiple data channels to a common clock signal over time.
2. Related Art
Channels are often provided using various types (e.g., wire-based, wire-less, etc.) of paths, and are used to transfer data. A clock signal often provides a time reference for the data transfers such that the data can be recovered at the receiving end using the time reference.
Data is often received on one channel (“receive channel”) and transmitted on another channel (“transmit channel”). Data streams are often received on corresponding receive channels, and each data stream is transmitted on a corresponding transmit channel.
It is often desirable to synchronize multiple data channels to a common time reference. Such a synchronization may enable, for example, a common clock signal to be used supporting the transfer of data on all the data channels. By using a single reference signal, several advantages such as minimizing a number of pins, minimizing electrical power consumption, etc., can be obtained, as is well known in the relevant arts.
One problem often encountered is that data channels may go out-of-synchronization over a long period of operation (e.g., due to alpha particles hits, power supply glitches, or drift), even if the channels are synchronized at some point of time. The absence of synchronization may lead to errors in transmission and/or reception of bits as is well known in the relevant arts, and is therefore undesirable. Accordingly, at least for such reasons, it may be desirable to continue to maintain synchronization of the data channels such that the data may be reliably sent and/or received.